Lobularia plant named ‘INLBUSNOPR’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobularia  plant named ‘Inlbusnopr’, characterized by its outwardly spreading, mounding and cascading plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period; single flowers that are white in color; fragrant flowers; and good garden performance and tolerant to high temperatures.

Botanical designation: Lobularia canariensis×Lobularia maritima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Inlbusnopr’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobularia plant, botanically known as Lobularia canariensis×Lobularia maritima and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Inlbusnopr’.

The new Lobularia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Lobularia plants with long-lasting fragrant flowers and high temperature tolerance.

The new Lobularia plant originated from a cross-pollination in March, 2005 in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain of an unnamed selection of Lobularia canariensis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with an unnamed selection of Lobularia maritima, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobularia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain in April, 2006. Asexual reproduction of the new Lobularia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain since April, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobularia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobularia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Inlbusnopr’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Inlbusnopr’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Lobularia:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading, mounding and cascading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely and continuous flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Single flowers that are white in color.     -   6. Fragrant flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance and tolerant to high temperatures.

Plants of the new Lobularia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobularia are larger than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobularia have green-colored leaves whereas         plants of the female parent selection have silvery grey-colored         leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobularia have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobularia flower for a longer period of         time than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Lobularia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobularia are larger and bushier than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobularia have narrower leaves than plants         of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Lobularia can be compared to plants of Lobularia maritima ‘Wonderland White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lobularia differed from plants of ‘Wonderland White’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobularia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Wonderland White’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobularia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Wonderland White’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Lobularia were more fragrant         than flowers of plants of ‘Wonderland White’.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobularia flowered for a longer period of         time than plants of ‘Wonderland White’.

Plants of the new Lobularia can also be compared to plants of Lobularia maritima ‘Snow Crystals’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lobularia differed from plants of ‘Snow Crystals’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobularia were more vigorous and more         cascading than plants of ‘Snow Crystals’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobularia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Snow Crystals’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Lobularia were more fragrant         than flowers of plants of ‘Snow Crystals’.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobularia flowered for a longer period of         time than plants of ‘Snow Crystals’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lobularia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Inlbusnopr’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Inlbusnopr’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in one-gallon containers in Bonsall, Calif., under commercial practice during the winter and spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 27° C., night temperatures ranging from 9° C. to 13° C. and light levels ranging from 6,000 to 7,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched two times and were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobularia canariensis×Lobularia maritima     ‘Inlbusnopr’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Lobularia             canariensis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Lobularia             maritima, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 7 to 10 days at soil             temperatures of about 16° C. to 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 7 to 10 days at soil             temperatures of about 13° C. to 16° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer and winter.—About two to three             weeks at 13° C. to 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium to thick in thickness, fibrous;             white, close to 155D, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/habit.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate flowering             habit; outwardly spreading, mounding and cascading plant             habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit with             about eight to ten primary lateral branches and numerous             secondary and tertiary lateral branches developing per             plant; pinching enhances development of lateral branches.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 58 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 40 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 1.2 cm to 3 cm. Texture: Sparsely             pubescent. Color: Close to 146A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 2.7 cm to 3.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.5 mm to 4 mm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptical to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137B; venation, close to 137C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:             Close to 138A. Color, lower surface: Close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Small single rounded flowers arranged             in indeterminate racemes; flowers face upward or outward;             very freely flowering habit, about 24 open flowers per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; in Southern             California plants flower from March through October;             flowering continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to four days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; sweet, vanilla-like.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10 cm to 16 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Roughly spherical. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Four petals fused in a single             whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Oval to             roughly reniform. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to NN155A. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close NN155A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of four sepals.             Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Elliptical.             Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close             to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to 145B.             Anther shape: Oval to almost lanceolate. Anther length: Less             than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 13C. Pollen amount: None             observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 2 mm. Style length: Less than 1 mm. Style color: Close             to 138B. Stigma shape: Globular. Stigma color: Close to             N144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobularia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Lobularia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobularia have been observed     to have good garden performance and have been noted to tolerate     temperatures from about 1° C. to about 32° C. and have excellent     tolerance to rain and wind. 

1. A new and distinct Lobularia plant named ‘Inlbusnopr’ as illustrated and described. 